Laramey Tunsil & a $40 Million Dollar Offensive Line

[Brooksey]

Currently we rank about 20th with money spent per offensive line in the league and it represents about 14% of our cap, that is about to change with or without drafting Tunsil. With the Rams moving up, Tunsil one of the best players in the draft may slide. The question is whether drafting Laremy Tunsil is too much talent and money allocated in one place. Let's take a closer look...

If we fast forward several years and resign Zach, Fred and L.Collins we are looking at APPROXIMATELY a $36 million dollar O-Line without Tunsil. With Tunsil it becomes about a $40 Million dollar line at least for the first five years of Tunsil's contract. Can we afford it? Im not sure but it looks like we will be spending 35Mill or 40Mill either way. With the cap going up and Romo going away in 2019 or sooner, it is possible.

In comparison right now the top 5 teams spending on the O-line is as follows.

2016
Minnesota Vikings $39,600,000
Oakland Raiders $37,500,000
Philadelphia $34,200,000
Pitts Steelers $31,900,000
Houston Tex $30,000,000

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/positional/offensive-line/

We would most likely become the highest paid offensive line in the league by a few million but we would've amassed more talent on the offensive line than the league has ever seen. I'm not a salary cap guru and i'm not sure how long you can keep restructuring Tyrone Smith, so I may be off some. I have "estimated" the cap hits based on the best players at their positions. On the flip-side we may be able to save on new these contracts if we set up T.Smith type deals with Frederick, Collins and Martin.

2016 Dallas Cowboys
TyroneSmith 6,800,000
Doug Free 5,500,000
Zach Martin 2,500,000
Frederick 2,200,000
R. Leary 2,200,000
L. Collins 550,000
Backups 2,000,000
Total 19,555,000

2018 PJ (estimates based on best in league)
Tyrone Smith 9,000,000 (restructured)
Frederick 6,500,000
L Collins 7,500,000
Z Martin 9,000,000
Tunsil 5,000,000 (1st 5 years)
Backup 4,000,000
Total 40,000,000

 

[Stash]

If your numbers are accurate, we'd be foolish not to do it. Compare the return on investment to any of those other teams and what they're paying, and the Cowboys' line (with Tunsil) would put any and all of them to shame!

Compare the lineup we would have to any of theirs and it's not even close.

$400,000 more than what the Vikings are paying for the lineup they have? Sign me up for that immediately!

 

[daveferr33]

Nice post.

If both QBs are gone and Tunsil is on the board, and there are no tradeback offers, I don't know how you pass him up. He is arguably the only blue chip prospect in this draft and he may drop to #4. If that is how it plays out, I say you draft him and figure out the rest later.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

If we cannot get a franchise QB....and Tunsil is there when we draft. I would draft him in a heartbeat. A DOMINIANT.....DOMINANT....offensive line...will cover up for a LOT of mistakes in the front office, scouting department, coaching staff, game plan, defense, lack of pass rush, lack of coverage etc.... The point I am making is this....if you have a chance to put together potentially the greatest OL in history.....I would take my chances doing that before adding Joey Bosa.

 

[DBOY3141]

Just like with Jack. Tunsil does not seem to be on the radar. Haven't seen anything where they have talked to him, met with him, had him come in for a visit. I would think like Goff, if they were interested, they would fly out to meet with him. But since they have not, I don't think he is in play.

 

[Q_the_man]

We are set on OL, yes we could use a RT but it's not a major need compared to CB, RB, DE.

Sometimes you can over compensate at one position and that's exactly what we would be doing especially with the #4 pick. Tounsil might be great but lets get the Best RB, CB or DE at #4.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Maybe I'm looking at this incorrectly but it's overkill. We cannot afford to keep all these guys. If Goff and Wentz are gone. I rather reach for Lynch, If the scouts feel he will develop into a capable starter. With a strong Oline and no QB(Romo gone) I see more 8-8 in our future. With no chance of drafting in the top 5..

 

[erod]

Or, you could draft Tunsil, then trade Collins or Martin down the line for a top pick. Guards aren't that hard to find.

Having two premier tackles would be EXTREMELY valuable.

 

[Direwolf63]

Too many resources in a single position unit starves other positions. For that reason I don't take Tunsil and try to trade down with a team who wants him.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Agree with Dave, nice post.

It seems to me that the real question here is where do you want to invest? If we are just going Offense and we are willing to live with, pretty much what we have on Defense, then you might consider taking Tunsil. However, if you believe that you must have Defense, then this is a problem. I think we all agree that the D is not where we want it to be. How do you make this Defense better? Well, I think you have to go to the DLine and start thinking about Pass Rushers. We currently don't have anybody we can count on and really, you need at least two. How much does that cost? Are we willing to just go with it and not worry about it or are we thinking that we are going to draft guys? If not and you hear the clock ticking, then you have to think about FA. Pass Rushers are not cheap. They are very expensive and this means you have to account for that. Also, at some point, you have to replace your QB. You can have the best OL in the world but if you don't have a QB, then you aren't going to win anything. What will that cost as you project it down the line?

There is a lot to like about Tunsil and if we were going with him, I would understand but I just don't think we can keep them all. Contracts are going to escalate so I doubt that even the 40 million might be the actual price. Hard to know what the Market might drive or what player might hold out etc. If we go with Tunsil, I think we probably have to decide which player might be expendable along the OL. It's an interesting discussion though.

Thanks for posting this thread.

ABQ

 

[Stash]

Just like with Jack. Tunsil does not seem to be on the radar. Haven't seen anything where they have talked to him, met with him, had him come in for a visit. I would think like Goff, if they were interested, they would fly out to meet with him. But since they have not, I don't think he is in play.

I'd have to wonder if their visits and plans were established prior to the Rams trading up to #1, when everyone had considered it a given that Tennessee was drafting Tunsil 1st overall?

 

[Stash]

We are set on OL, yes we could use a RT but it's not a major need compared to CB, RB, DE.

Sometimes you can over compensate at one position and that's exactly what we would be doing especially with the #4 pick. Tounsil might be great but lets get the Best RB, CB or DE at #4.

And you somehow think they wouldn't be by overpaying a running back at #4 with this offensive line?

 

[Stash]

Maybe I'm looking at this incorrectly but it's overkill. We cannot afford to keep all these guys. If Goff and Wentz are gone. I rather reach for Lynch, If the scouts feel he will develop into a capable starter. With a strong Oline and no QB(Romo gone) I see more 8-8 in our future. With no chance of drafting in the top 5..

Given the math presented, you still feel that way?

 

[DBOY3141]

I'd have to wonder if their visits and plans were established prior to the Rams trading up to #1, when everyone had considered it a given that Tennessee was drafting Tunsil 1st overall?

That could be. Is there a date where the can no longer meet with players? I know they can only bring in 30 to VR, but do they have time to fly out and meet with someone?

 

[erod]

Tyron tears an ACL in camp.

Now what?

 

[DFWJC]

This number will explode soon though.

Freddy is coming up
L Collins only had a short contract
Then Martin

Having said that, hard to pass on a talent like Tunsil

 

[Stash]

Too many resources in a single position unit starves other positions. For that reason I don't take Tunsil and try to trade down with a team who wants him.

Not if you draft well, it doesn't. Talent is talent. What gets you in trouble is missing in the draft and then having to compensate by spending in free agency.

 

[Stash]

Tyron tears an ACL in camp.

Now what?

Tunsil at left tackle, Free at right tackle?

Sounds like a much better situation than anyone else would have.

 

[Stash]

This number will explode soon though.

Freddy is coming up
L Collins only had a short contract
Then Martin

Having said that, hard to pass on a talent like Tunsil

And Romo's huge contract comes off the books during that period too.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Given the math presented, you still feel that way?

Math and stats can be manipulated to advance personal agendas. I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the meltdown draft day.